There is a rampant exploitation that persists in the modern work world, particularly the injustices suffered by our newest workforce members, young people and fresh graduates.
Pervasive in our societal psyche is this absurd belief that 'earning your stripes' is a mandatory rite of passage, that graduating from high school and college and entering the workforce must necessarily come with an induction period of extreme hardships. This notion has been so normalized that it’s seen as a preparatory phase; to get you 'toughened up' for the real world. Yet, isn't it both hypocritical and counterproductive for us to spend years nurturing, educating, and developing young adults, only to subject them to an ordeal once they step foot into the professional landscape?
The irony is brutal. We advise our children to dream big, to reach for the stars, and then, when they are just starting, we stand by, accepting the dismal conditions they are thrust into as a grim fact of life. The current reality of underpaid entry-level jobs, grueling hours, and an abysmal work-life balance is not some ancestral decree set in stone. It's an archaic, unsustainable practice that we've chosen to uphold.
The expectation that the younger generation must suffer as we or our ancestors did is nothing short of sadistic. The echo of past suffering should not serve as justification for future anguish. Instead, it should prompt us to dismantle these harmful traditions and build systems that promote dignity and respect for all, regardless of age or experience.
After all, are these not the ideals that our society is built on? Equity, fair treatment, and the assurance of a safe, nurturing environment for our successors to flourish in? If so, why do we so blatantly ignore these principles in the labor market, particularly for our young employees?
To label this gross exploitation as a 'right of passage' is a brazen deflection from the truth: it is institutionalized inequality. It's a cycle perpetuated by those who, instead of acknowledging the inherent injustice of their past sufferings, use it as a perverse validation for the status quo.
Every parent today should indeed feel shame for their complacency in perpetuating this insidious cycle. Our children, the newest contributors to the workforce, deserve more than our empathy; they deserve our activism. We should be advocating for fair compensation, reasonable working hours, and a work environment that treats them as humans, not expendable commodities.
The time has come to break the chain of normalized exploitation and to reject the notion that suffering is a necessary precursor to success. We must champion a new narrative, one that values our young people for their merit, treats them with respect, and pays them their due. After all, they are not merely the future of our workforce; they are the future of our world.